Leveling a Rogue

[Zexodus]

I currently have the BoA chest and shoulders from emblems for my rogue. I also have the sword from Stone Keeper Shards, which I know isn't ideal but I already have it. I'm pretty sure combat is ahead of the other specs while leveling, or at least until 50 when you can get mutilate.

I'm wondering if grabbing the Dal'Rend's Sacred Charge for MH (the 2.8 speed sword from emblems) and speccing into hack and slash would be decent for leveling. I know the 2.4 speed OH isn't great but would I change at 80 or when a better weapon presented itself. Or if I should spend another 40 emblems on the 1H mace with agility that's 2.8 speed and another 200 shards and the 1.5 speed dagger for OH.

Thanks

[vertinog]

I'm wondering if grabbing the Dal'Rend's Sacred Charge for MH (the 2.8 speed sword from emblems) and speccing into hack and slash would be decent for leveling. I know the 2.4 speed OH isn't great but would I change at 80 or when a better weapon presented itself. Or if I should spend another 40 emblems on the 1H mace with agility that's 2.8 speed and another 200 shards and the 1.5 speed dagger for OH.

Dal'Rend's is a very good choice for a MH. In a combat spec you want a fast OH so I would recommend getting the dagger and use it with the Dal'Rend's.

Combat will be your fastest leveling spec until you hit 50 mainly because the other two specs require you to be behind your target to do their damage until level 50.

[Doogiehowser]

I'm definitely a newb when it comes to playing a rogue. I'm leveling one myself but I've used www.shadowpanther.net for my leveling help.

They have tons of info for weapons/specs/consumables/etc for your leveling/twink guide.

I can't tell you what exactly the details since I haven't mastered it yet, but their suggestions sure have made my rogue leveling very fun.

I've gone the combat route and you definitely feel good just running up and smashing things. I'd also look at getting the pve trinket that improves haste and provide health upon a xp/honor kill. As a rogue, you tend to take some damage and it helps out a lot.

[warden]

When I leveled mine, I went with the mace, simply because the stats are much better for rogues as they scale with your level than the sword's. Although I missed out on hack-and-slash, and mace mastery wasn't great for leveling, there's a bunch of semi-pvp talents in the combat tree that are actually great for leveling, since you're getting attacked and taking damage. I ended up going emblem mace/emblem dagger for the slow/fast setup and threw (I think) 15 agil on each one.

[Flex]

I went sword/dagger when leveling my rogue and did not pick a weapon spec since I wasn't doing instances and I could spend those points on better soloing talents.

[Arnock]

Allthough I'm not the most familiar with rogues, I dont think the slow/fast becomes an issue until you can get the talent that gives you energy on offhand hits, which isn't until the mid 40s if I remember right (can't view a calculator atm) And from leveling other classes, I've found burst tends to do better for leveling, and sword spec gives a decent amount of that.

[Kelaan]

I asked a friend (who playes a rogue very well) why combat > subtlety. He basically said that it's because of your cleaving once you get enough talent points, which lets you kill two things at once. Subtlety struggles at that, apparently.

[Njall]

...is best done with a bulldozer.

[Kelaan]

Heh.
I may leave mine for Cataclysm. I have a druid who is lower and will be easier to find groups with.

[Zexodus]

Thanks for the replies. Pretty much what I was thinking. I have the 2.8 speed sword for MH now and will be picking up the 1.5 speed dagger once I get some more Stone Keeper Shards. On the bright side when my rogue hits 80 it will only take him 60 frost orbs to get the ilvl 226 crafted belt and boots

[Baelor]

So stealth and stabbity stuff interests me. I've got 2x BoA PvE daggers (Heartseeker?) and 2x BoA PvE trinkets (Hand of Justice) on my lowbie hunter. If I were to make a rogue and level it with daggers, would I be better off going Subtlety or Assassination to start? I assume once Mutilate becomes available I'd want to go Assassination, but what about pre-Mutilate?

Combat is boring and I don't want to buy swords.

[bldavis]

subtlety is fun, esp in low level pvp

being able to ambush , sinister, finish vanish and backstab again is oh so much fun! (i did alot of pvp as a 28-29)

as far as leveling, its alright, vanish will be able to get you out of a lot of sticky situations
the only bad thing is that most abilites you will utilize require you to be behind the mob and sometimes be stealthed (ie ambush)
however one of my favorite tricks (esp in pvp) was gouge, run through the legs and spin and back stab by the time the gouge wears off you should have 4 combo points up (if your fast enough!)

overall subltey is a fun spec, just not quite as hardy if you get jumped, but the increased stealth capablities is a blast!

edit: another bonus! unless people want to gamble and take a risk of tripping the traps, then they need you (or a lock) to see them! and a lock cant disable them!

[Cronus]

I have a 72 rogue collecting dust. I played him in the BC days mainely for PVP and sneaking around Stormwind. I was subtly spec back then with shadowstep which was freakin AWESOME!!! I would sit in the shadows of Stormwind just outside where all the ally hang out. Id wait patiently for that one low level flagged for PVP and then strike. Shadowstep/ ambush = instant death then vanish and run back to the shadows...then the fun begins. All hell breaks loose with aoe bombs goign off everywhere looking for me. God I loved it.

So back on topic...when I did dust him off for a few levels, i was dual daggers with combat spec. I tried every spec possible for those two levels and combat was the hands down winner for overall damage and down time. I would always be on top DPS for instance grinds. I even beat out the might pally (my main character).

Have fun with your rogue, they are a blast for PVP!

[Elsie]

Combat cleaves easier higher up, and sword spec procs can just murder things. However, the biggest advantage is you don't rely on stealth or openers. A combat rogue can just move from mob to mob at early levels without much concern at lower levels where stealth speed reduction sucks (though you can still go for saps and cheap shot when you need to).

Also Crusader enchant with sword spec and Thrash Blade is beastly.

[Baelor]

Combat cleaves easier higher up, and sword spec procs can just murder things. However, the biggest advantage is you don't rely on stealth or openers. A combat rogue can just move from mob to mob at early levels without much concern at lower levels where stealth speed reduction sucks (though you can still go for saps and cheap shot when you need to).

Also Crusader enchant with sword spec and Thrash Blade is beastly.

So what would you do - combat sword with Thrash Blade and the BoA PvP dagger and just hack stuff up?